My version of chicken marsala

The background behind this post is important I guess. I went on holidays with Tara and her family earlier this year (for her sisters wedding) to the USA. We booked various hotels in different areas for the 15 days or so that we were going for. Tara is my girlfriend whom I’m going out with now for over a year.

While in the US we visited some of her relatives and we spent quite a bit of time in her aunt Tereasa’ house. Now Taz had given her fair warning that I’m fairly picky when it comes to food (those of you that know me well, know how bad I am!!) so she was all set for meat and chips. However while there she made this absolutely stunning dish called “Chicken Marsala” and I had seriously never tasted chicken as good before.

So when we came back I kept thinking about this great meal I had while I was away (I had many other great meals in her house, but this one sticks out the most) so I had to go about trying to make it.

First off, my only issue was really finding Marsala Wine. Thankfully O’Briens in Carlow had it stocked, a bottle cost me 12.99 which to me was a bit steep. But I got it and off I went.

I’ve tried it 4 times now and I hadn’t been able to successfully “make it the right way”, that was until today. I’ve got the correct measures down (be they a bit unaccurate for sharing) and I had the most beautiful chicken marsala again tonight. Tara concurs that it was excellent (not just said so, she ate the lot!).

The following receipe was what makes an excellent chicken Marsala (for 2 or 3, depending on what you serve with it)

3-4 chicken breasts, thinly sliced.

real butter (10gramms) and olive oil (smallest amount will do)

flour

mushrooms

chicken stock cubes, knorr seem good

half a cup of Marsala Wine *

1 cup of chicken stock *

A wide deep frying pan (*) or skillet

The process:

Put 1.5 chicken stock cubes into a cup, fill with boiling water and stir, this is now your chicken stock.

Cover a baking tray with flour, add salt and pepper and then cover all the pieces of chicken in flour. Heat the pan, after putting some of the butter and olive oil in, to the point just before the butter starts smoking (this is crucial) and then put the chicken on to it for approx 2-3 mins either side

Take the chicken off and take the pan off of the heat for a minute. Put the chicken somewhere to keep it warm and where you can gather the juices from for later.

Put the pan back on the heat and place the mushrooms onto it (obviously you can chop them what ever way you prefer) and cook them for 5-6 minutes or until their own moisture/juice starts to show.

Immediately after the mushrooms own juices starting to show add the chicken stock. You’ll now cook the mushrooms for around 5 minutes on a medium heat in the stock.

After 5 or so minutes have elapsed turn the heat down and now put the chicken back in, let the whole lot simmer for around 2-3 minutes and then add in the half a cup of marsala wine.

Let this now simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat

* the measurements for the stock and wine I’ve used are because my frying pan is wide but the sides are not very high and it can’t support a lot of sauce/juices. Ideally use a pan with high sides and double up on these measurements so that you end up with quite a bit of the juices to place over your veg, potatoes or rice.

You can now serve the dinner to 2-3 people.

Enjoy this, I’d like to welcome comments on this post if anyone tries it out 🙂